Telegram Announces Exclusive Blockchain Partnership with TON

• Social messenger Telegram makes TON its exclusive blockchain for Mini Apps, impacting 950M+ users.
• A new announcement makes TON Connect mandatory for all Telegram Mini Apps’ wallet integrations.
• Toncoin now powers all payments across Telegram services, including Premium and ads.

Telegram Messenger has expanded its partnership with The Open Network (TON). This has established TON as the exclusive blockchain infrastructure for its Mini App Ecosystem. The decision affects Telegram’s vast user base of over 950 million monthly active users and requires all blockchain-integrated applications to migrate to the TON network.

The Open Network Foundation announced this collaboration following a successful joint initiative launched in 2023. The partnership has already experienced decent adoption through Telegram’s Mini App Platform, Toncoin payment integration, and advertising platform developments.

A central component of this exclusive agreement is the mandatory implementation of TON Connect, the network’s wallet connect protocol. The protocol will serve as the sole method for linking Telegram Mini Apps to blockchain wallets, creating a unified user experience across the platform. Mini app developers must complete this migration within the next month, affecting all blockchain functionalities, including wallet services, user authorization, and digital asset transactions.

The partnership extends beyond technical infrastructure, as Telegram has committed to accepting Toncoin as the exclusive cryptocurrency for non-fiat payments across its services. This includes payments for Telegram Stars, Premium subscriptions, advertising services, and the Telegram Gateway verification platform. Additionally, all revenue distributions to Mini App developers and channel owners will be conducted exclusively in Toncoin.

Manuel Stotz, President of The Open Network Foundation, expressed optimism about the partnership’s potential. He stated,

After laying foundational groundwork over the last years, TON is now ready for explosive growth in 2025. The re-energized, deepened, and exclusive partnership with Telegram is an important step in our roadmap.

The collaboration has already shown promising results through previous initiatives. The TON Wallet app on Telegram has helped in the success of tap-to-earn crypto games like Hamster Kombat and Notcoin, collectively attracting hundreds of millions of players. The platform has also integrated Toncoin for ad revenue payments to channel operators and launched the convertible Telegram Stars currency.

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This exclusivity agreement notably impacts existing mini-apps and games that currently utilize other blockchain networks, such as Sui or Aptos. These applications must transition to TON and implement the TON Connect protocol to maintain their crypto functionality. 

To encourage timely migration, the TON Foundation is offering additional benefits, including promotional support, to developers who meet the transition deadline. The partnership also includes plans for the tokenization of Telegram’s digital assets exclusively on the TON Blockchain, encompassing emojis, stickers, and limited edition gifts as NFTs, further cementing the integration between the two platforms.

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